Custom Belgian Exhaust

For throwback Thursday, I thought I would share the last modification completed on my old S40; a continuation of Emissions-Free County Problems.

C30Crew user, TheBelgian, made me a custom muffler delete.  It was designed to swap in and out with the factory muffler, so I could easily revert to the quiet stock tone whenever I wanted.

Belgian Muffler Delete

$120 in piping and clamps, plus 2 cases of beer.  Not even a custom exhaust shop could match those prices!

A couple of other local members came by as well, making it a mini Volvo meet right there in TheBelgian's driveway.

TheBelgian, CollegeKid01, and Macthias

It was also a treat to see the Volvo 142 project car sitting in the covered carport.

Volvo 142

A small Magnaflow muffler was the only piece of resistance in an otherwise straight piped set up.

Magnaflow muffler

The end result was a beastly tone which I very much enjoyed for the week that it was on the car.  As you all know, my S40 was sold just 2 weeks later.  But I have no regrets of that "exhausting" weekend.  Working on cars until the late hours of the night, hanging out around the campfire sharing our driving stories.  It is always a treat to hang out with fellow Volvo enthusiasts.

Quebert, Never Forgotten

No, not the classic Q*bert video game, but Bailey's 1997 Volvo 854.  Old and reliable, he's the perfect commuter car, but he rarely receives the adoring attention that my spoiled C30 now gets.

While the C30 sits in the shop, I decided it was time to conclude a few unfinished projects on the 850.

First up was the gauge pod.  The A-pillar pod came from iPd, the glowshift boost gauge came from a previous project.  Of course, the color has been set to purple to compliment the other purple accents throughout the car.

Volvo 850 boost gauge

We also rolled the rear fenders and slapped on 5mm H&R spacers.  5mm may not seem like a lot, but it's enough to widen the stance for improved handling, looks, and to eliminate any further rubbing against the wheel well arches.

After a fresh wash and wax

Leather gear selector

Lastly, it was once again time to swap out the gear selector, this time because a broken button.  The replacement was an original leather shift knob, adding an additional touch of elegance to this 1997 "Grand Luxury Touring" Volvo.  We plan to keep Quebert for a long time to come, so it always brings me joy to add little details to enhance his quirky Volvo personality.

2015 Volvo S60 T5 Review

Due to a misdiagnosis on the dealer's part, my car had to go back in to the shop.  This time 'round, they gave me a 2015 S60 T5.

2015 Volvo S60 T5

Having driven it for a few days, I feel a lot more at home in this car than that monster truck XC.  Spacious interior, relatively familiar console controls, and a very smooth ride.  The steering is surprisingly responsive as well, but it's a heavy mid-sized car which can really be felt when abruptly turning or accelerating.

Fully loaded with factory options, this car also has BLIS (BLind spot Information System) and Park Assist.  The rear camera is quite a treat, especially when you want to spy on people behind you at a red light.  On the other hand, BLIS was a bit of a let down.  Its purpose is to illuminate orange warning lights when a car is driving in your blind spot. However, I found it only registers cars about half the time.  It might be a setting I have not yet discovered, but it is quite frustrating, especially with how large of a blind spot this car has.

2015 Volvo S60 Interior

Unlike the T5 engine in the XC60, it's a much better fit in the new S60.  Another 8 speed automatic makes it virtually impossible to use the geartronic shift feature, unless you like bumping the gear selector ever 400 revs.  On previous automatic Volvos, if you came off the throttle, the car would automatically up shift - if you quickly pressed the gas, it would downshift.  Lifting off the throttle does nothing for the S60.  I went to pass a truck this morning, pushed the pedal 3/4th to the floor, and the car downshifted to 4th gear.  I passed the truck at a steady 4500RPM, but coming off the gas, the car did not shift.  It continued another eighth of a mile screaming at 4500RPM.  Thinking this was a fluke, I slowed down and attempted to replicate the situation.  Once again, it maintained the high RPM until it decided it was ready to shift.  It did not matter if I was in Sport mode or Drive, the gearbox clearly has a mind of its own.

The turbo does provides necessary power when you need it, but power delivery lags a lot compared to what I'm use to.  Over the past few days, I have used this car for my 140 mile commute on mostly back roads and highways.  My euro-tuner C30 averages 29mpg on those roads, but this S60 is only getting 25mpg.  Quite a disappointment since engine and transmission technology is supposed to be improving fuel efficiency.

All in all, this car is an example of progress for Volvo; the luxury is visually apparent and the safety can clearly be felt.  I would highly recommend this car for leisurely driving around the city, but there are much better options for highway commuters.  I haven't driven the all-wheel-drive T6 S60, or an S60 with a Polestar tune, but I assume those would suffice for someone in search of a sporty sedan.  However, unless Volvo releases another platform of smaller cars, they may lose my make allegiance once I'm ready to move on from the C30.

"Illumination" Volvo's Factory Footwell Lighting

Unknown to many, Volvo offered a factory option to have multi-color foot well illumination.  This lighting is separate from the foot well lights that glow every time the door is opened.
"Illumination" consists of two LED tubes mounted under the dash and a single button mounted behind the waterfall.  Pressing that button allows the driver to cycle between Red, Green, Blue, and White lighting.

Admittedly, Volvo's foot well lighting is a little cheap compared to other luxury manufacturers' mood lighting.  As LEDs and El Wire technology have advanced, illuminated foot wells, speakers, and even cup holders are becoming common sights in modern cars.  

Despite the relatively cheap set up, it's a rare factory option and I'm proud to say I have it.

2014 Volvo XC60 T5 Review

Today I took my C30 to the shop to have the clutch master cylinder replaced.  Over the last few days, the clutch had gotten progressively softer and bleeding it did not help.  I came to find a puddle of brake fluid on my floorboard, so I knew something was seriously wrong.

Since it will be at least one day before my car is ready, my local dealership hooked me up with a courtesy loaner.

2014 Volvo XC60 T5

As I approached the car, I was excited to see that I got a new vehicle for my loaner.  Last time I ended up with a 2 year old S60 with an interior which smelled like a 2 year old S60.

First impression?  Well, it's kind of shaped like an egg.  I can see Volvo's classic styling... Broad shoulders, "V" shaped hood, extended tail lights, waterfall interior... But this base model looks like most other compact SUVs on the road.

The push button start was a nice little treat, as was the premium-sound stereo which immediately began blasting to my favorite radio station.

After pushing every button I could find to push, opening up the GINORMOUS sunroof, and adjusting my mirrors, I set off.  The torque off the line was quite surprising, but the smooth 8 speed automatic has its pros and cons.

Pros:
Super smooth between shifts.
Very linear acceleration.
Maintains a low RPM for improved gas mileage.

Cons:
It's autotragic and the geartronic shift feature feels unresponsive with the 8 gears.
80mph at 2100RPM, if you're used to highway cruising at 2900RPM, that'll put you in the triple digits.  Watch your speed!!!

The XC60 may not be the sportiest vehicle to drive, but the Volvo lineage is quite apparent and I would rank it high for comfort and luxury.  It's very quiet, it's very smooth, and once you're not distract by the customizable gauge display, it's a very nice car to drive.  The turning radius is phenomenal and it feels more like a midsize car than a spacious SUV.

The T5 is definitely too small of an engine for a car this weight.  While it'll get up and go quicker than most, the engine seems best suited in a smaller car.  A Polestar tune might wake it up a little, but I would probably opt for the T6 R-design if I was buying one of these for myself.

Another thing I don't like is that the engine shuts off at every stop.  It comes back the moment you come off the brakes, but there is a small jerk every time it starts.  The technology is not as smooth as what is used in the Ford Fusion Hybrid.

All in all, it is a quality car and a great loaner.  But the moral of the story... Don't give me a rental and expect me not to play with it.

Key Case

I have never been a fan of giant key rings with hundreds of keys clanging against each other.  Maybe I was spoiled as a child with always having "master keys," where one key unlocks all the doors in the building.

When I was living in an apartment, I was constantly annoyed by having four keys on my key ring.  One for the car, one for the apartment door, one for the mail box, and one for the common area.  Once I moved out, I quickly reverted to my comfortable one key setup.  You might think this is dangerous; one key is more easily lost than a full key chain set.  While this statement is true, I did however find a solution to the problem.

2008 Volvo C30 key

I got this nifty little blue key case off ebay for $7.  Not only is it fashionably stylish, but it also offers three key selling points (pun intended):

1. The silicone casing provides protection, like a phone case, for if it's ever dropped.
2. The high friction surface prevents it from accidentally sliding out of my pocket.
3. If I do drop my key, it is very easy to find.

There will be no mistaking this key at the valet!

Belgian Brake Light Conversion

Despite being 7 years old, the C30 still looks like a fairly modern hatchback, while maintaining details which reflect its lineage.  The large glass hatch is a classic throwback to the 1972 Volvo P1800ES.  The tall taillights are a trademark of Volvos since the 1980s.  But having the tiny rectangle brake lights is a continuation from the Volvo wagons from the 90s, the Swedish bricks, and that kills the aesthetics of the car's rear end.

On a stock C30, the lower "arches" function as the taillights and the upper rectangles function as the brake lights.  This can be seen on the Blue C30 in the picture blow.

Traditional C30 brake light location

Thanks the "TheBelgian," my lower arches now function as both the taillights and the brake lights.  It may not maintain the noticeable brake light placement that Volvo intended, but there is significantly more illumination which should be considered a safety feature.  Plus, the glowing arches give the car a more modern appearance, similar to the style of the new Volvo models.

Standard taillights

Belgian brake light conversion

Rear Seat Delete

It's a two door hatchback, who needs a back seat?  If I needed room for friends and family, I would have kept my sedan.  If I didn't want decent cargo space, I would have bought a coupe.

Two door hatchbacks are very versatile vehicles, even more so once you remove a couple of seats.

Of course weight reduction was a big advantage to removing the back seats.  But the extra space converts my hatchback into a fully enclosed pickup truck.  Stay tuned as I will soon be building rear shelf to cover the exposed floor.  I'm also considering relocating the battery to the back, as well as a half roll cage.  With so much room for activities, the possibilities are endless!


See Part 2 here!

"It's okay Lola, my wife isn't here."

"It's okay Lola, my wife isn't here." One of my favorite Robin William's lines from the movie RV.

I enjoy having my lovely GPS "Lola" plugged in at all times.   The live readouts for speed, speed limits, and elevation are great additions to the numerous gauges I already have in my car.  But I cannot stand having wires dangling throughout the cabin.

For a clean install, I remove the backseat 12v socket and plugged in a 3-way splitter.  No hard wiring required, and everything is hidden behind the interior paneling.

12v splitter mounted behind the steering column cover panel

From there, I was able to run power under the dash to my GPS.

I also ran power to the headliner for my radar detector (legal in Georgia).

I am very pleased to sit in my cockpit, turn on the ignition, and see all of my gadgets begin to glow.  No suction cup mounts, all hidden cords, and I still have a vacant socket for charging other devices.

Rear Wiper Delete

Some will say it's foolish to remove such a device, but I find rear wipers to be painfully ugly.  They're bulky, they leave weird streaks on the back window, and they're always drooping downward at a saggy angle.  But removing them isn't that tough!

One bolt to remove the wiper arm, three bolts to remove the motor.  That's almost 5lbs in weight reduction right there!  Which we all know will improve gas mileage.

Rear wiper delete

There are many European companies who will make custom plugs to fill the hole in the glass, but I can't justify spending $40 for a glorified cork.

I made my plug for $3, using parts from the hardware section of the local home improvement store.  One flat-top carriage bolt, some rubber spacers to fit in the hole, then a rubber washer and nut to tighten down on the back.  Water will never be seeping through this hole (already rain and car wash tested).

To finish it off, I wrapped the bolt head in gloss black vinyl, giving it a shiny appearance to match the glass.  That is how you lose 5lbs in 5 minutes.

Objects in Mirror are Losing

My daily commute is not a race, but it's a whole lot more fun if I pretend it is!  Passing semis on the two lane back roads, cruising along in the left lane on the highway; if you're behind me, you must be losing.

Driver's side mirror

Just a cheap little decal off Amazon , it puts a smile on my face every time I look in the mirror.

Ask any auto enthusiast, most stickers add an average of +5hp per sticker.  But this little mirror decal easily added +10hp at the crank.  Before and after butt dyno will give proof!  If you always have to be in front of the pack, this sticker is an absolute must.